Tom Simmons--35+ years of keeping the community active

For the past 35 years, the City of Clarion has had a very energetic worker and volunteer. He’s organized kids ball teams, wresting tournaments, the city Easter Egg hunt, and more. But on December 29, Tom Simmons retired as Clarion Recreation Director.

Simmons got his start working for the city even before he had the rec director job. The four summers he was in college, Simmons assisted with directing the City of Clarion baseball program.

“That kind of got my feet in the door,” Simmons said.

Starting in 1985, Tom was the recreation director in Clarion for 35 years. For his first five years or so, he was also the local adult education director for Iowa Central Community College, which involved finding instructors and organizing classes like Spanish, computers, crafts, even golf. But when ICCC decided to end the adult classes, he was able to devote his full attention to the Clarion rec program. He kept his office at the school and was able to work with students and teachers to get information on the kids’ rec programs out to families.